South Carolina women's basketball: Five Things to Watch - #5 Texas

South Carolina hosts Texas on Sunday in one of the most anticipated games of the season. Find out how to watch and what to watch for.

1. It’s finally here
The anticipation for this game began back in July of 2021 when the news first broke that Texas and Oklahoma would be joining the SEC. If you’re reading this, you probably know why. If not, here’s a brief history.

It started about ten years ago when Texas coach Vic Schaefer was at Mississippi State. For about a half-decade, roughly from 2015 to 2020, South Carolina and Mississippi State engaged in one of the fiercest rivalries in the country. 

They combined to win every SEC regular season and tournament title during that span and each made two Final Fours. The rivalry peaked when they met for the 2017 national championship in Dallas.

Following the 2020 season, Schaefer left Mississippi State for Texas. Gamecock fans happily cited Schaefer’s 0-5 postseason record against Staley as the reason for his departure. A Longhorn loss in the 2021 Elite Eight, where Texas was held scoreless in the fourth quarter, added fuel to the fire.

Then came the announcement that summer. And now, finally, comes the game.

2. Missing Ashlyn
In their first game without Ashlyn Watkins, the Gamecocks acquitted themselves well. But the Longhorns present a different kind of challenge than the Aggies.

Texas A&M has 6-5 post Lauren Ware, but she doesn’t play as big and strong as the Texas tandem of Taylor Jones and Kyla Oldacre. 6-4 Jones averages 11.7 points and 6.7 rebounds. 6-6 Oldacre comes off the bench to add 10.9 points and a team-high 6.9 rebounds. Oldacre excels at drawing fouls and averages 5.6 free throw attempts per game.

How will South Carolina counter them? 

Staley can go size on size with Adhel Tac of Sakima Walker. Or use Maryam Dauda’s shooting ability to try to draw Oldacre and Jones out of the paint. 

Or she can stay mostly with Sania Feagin, Chloe Kitts, and Joyce Edwards and rely on their skill and finesse. A Dawn Staley constant is to find the other team’s offensive strength and make her work on defense.

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3. Fulwiley and Edwards
South Carolina’s bench has been its strength, and the heart of the bench was the three local products, Watkins, MiLaysia Fulwiley, and Joyce Edwards. The trio is down to a duo, and they stepped up against Texas A&M. 

Edwards had her second career double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Fulwiley chipped in 17 points and another mind-blowing highlight play.

They can make up for Watkins’ absence in different ways. Edwards will pick up some of Watkins’ playing time, and she has more room to operate inside and crash the glass. Staley said after the game that she thought Edwards stepped up to the challenge and played more “free” with Watkins out.

Fulwiley isn’t going to suddenly become a post presence, but like Watkins, she can do things athletically that few other players in the country can match. When she’s locked in, Fulwiley is as talented of a perimeter scorer and defender as anyone in the country, and she can fill the void left by Watkins in other ways.

4. Availability Report
The first availability report will be released Saturday night, but there shouldn’t be any surprises. Watkins is out for the season, but freshman point guard Maddy McDaniel should make her return to the court.

“Maddy’s ready,” Staley said on Friday.

McDaniel hasn’t played since Christmas due to a concussion. She returned to practice last week and participated in warmups on Thursday, but was not cleared to play.

In the last report, Texas listed Laila Phelia and Abbie Boutilier as out. 

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5. Scouting the Longhorns
In many ways, the Longhorns look like Schaefer’s old Bulldog teams. They are big and physical with an emphasis on defense, and on both ends of the court, everything flows inside out. 

Texas doesn’t shoot or make a lot of threes (30.3% on 12.2 attempts). The focus is on getting the ball to the rim or midrange looks.

“In Vic’s heyday here in the SEC, he controlled the paint, and it’s not going to change,” Staley said. “You can win a lot of basketball games when you win the paint, so we got to win that battle. And then rebounding. Rebounding is going to be key for us.”

Oldacre and Jones aren’t quite as dominant as Teaira McCowan was at Mississippi State, but Schaefer also never had a dup like Madison Booker and Rori Harmon in Starkville.

Rori Harmon is one of the top point guards in the country. She is fifth in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio and is the sort of veteran player who seems to make whatever big play the Longhorns need.

But the star is sophomore Madison Booker. Booker was one of the preseason choices for SEC Player of the Year and hasn’t disappointed. Last season when Harmon was hurt, Booker took over as a point forward and led Texas to the Elite Eight. 

Booker averages 15.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. She can do a little bit of everything, and her versatility is what makes her nearly impossible to guard.

“You’ve got to make it difficult for her to catch,” Staley said. “She’s in great shape, as well, a lot better shape than she was last year. I think she’s just understanding college and the whole dynamics of your body. It’s hard. Just make it real hard before the catch because, when she catches it, you’re at her mercy.”

In Texas only loss this season, the Longhorns struggled to slow down Notre Dame’s guards. In fairness, almost everyone struggles to slow down Hannah Hidalgo (30 points), Sonia Citron (18 points) and Olivia Miles (18 points). 

As good as Harmon is, she isn’t quite as explosive as she was before her knee injury, and Texas had trouble with Notre Dame’s perimeter quickness. 

The Ws
Who: #2 South Carolina (15-1. 3-0) vs #5 Texas (16-1, 3-0)
When: 1:00 EST, Sunday, January 12
Where: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, SC
Watch: ESPN

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